One month following his removal from Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative caucus, Sault Ste. Marie MPP Chris Scott had a court hearing scheduled in his northeastern Ontario riding on Wednesday morning, which he did not attend, choosing to remain at Queen’s Park instead. Scott, a rookie MPP, was arrested and charged with assault and assault with a weapon on September 19.
During the hearing, an articling student, representing lawyer Michael Lacy via Zoom, requested an adjournment of Scott’s case until after the counsel pre-trial on November 4. The matter is set to reconvene in a Sault Ste. Marie courtroom on November 12.
Now serving as an Independent, Scott was absent from the Legislature’s first session since June on Monday but was present in Toronto on Tuesday, away from Ford and the PCs.
Despite calls from various public officials, including Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles and Sault Mayor Matthew Shoemaker, urging him to step down, Scott expressed his eagerness to resume work. He maintained his confidence in his abilities and denied the allegations of spousal assault, emphasizing his trust in the criminal justice system and anticipation of his day in court.
Scott mentioned receiving support from some colleagues within the PC caucus but confirmed no communication with Ford, attributing it to the latter’s busy schedule. While temporarily stepping back from partisan activities like door-knocking and fundraising, Scott assured constituents that his office remains open and hinted at providing more information once the current matter is resolved.